Hand restraining device



June2,1936. n QEECOX M 2,043,153

HAND RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed May 2l, 1955 A 3m. 555m v Patented `une 2, 1936 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE f y V2,043,153 5 rHAND mis'inAninNorv DEVICE Elmer F. Cox, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 21, 1935. serial No. 22,625 ioiaim. (ci. 12s-13s) 'Ihis invention relates to restraining devices and more Vparticularly toa restraining `device adapted to be ap-plied on a hand.

An object of this invention is to provide a restraining device for use in hospitals or like institutions, which may be readily appliedto a hand of a patient without'injury to the hand orundue inconvenience and which may be attached to a fixed member in the form of a bed frame or the like, so as to prevent the patient from injuring himself or others. v

Another object of this invention is to provide arestrainingdevice of this character which, when in'applied position on the hand of a patient, will not injure the hand and will not prevent the free circulation of air about the hand so that the device may be applied at any suitable room temperature.

A further object of this invention is to provide a restraining device of this character which is so constructed that the patient will be prevented from doubling up his hand and will be prevented from scratching himself or others.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a restraining device of this character which is exceedingly simple in construction so that the cost thereof can be kept at a minimum.V

'I'he above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part be understood from the following detail description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:-

Figure l is a detail front elevation partly broken away and in section of a restraining device, constructed in accordaice with an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the device;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing wherein like nuo merals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral I0 designates generally a restraining guard in the form of a substantially tubular shaped member, which is open at each end and which is constructed of a single sheet of material which is preferably inherently stiff, such as leather or the like. This guard I0 has a reduced or tapering inner end portion II, which is made in the form of a tapered cuff or wrist engaging portion by splitting the member I0 at the inner end, as at I2, and securing the split portions I2 by means of stitching I3 or the like.

Thesheet I0 is initially constructed from a. fiat piece of material which is folded or bent in the form of a tubular member, as shown in Figure 3, and the free ends of the member I0 are overlapped one upon the other, as shown in Figure 2 on the back side of the device and these free ends sewed together or otherwise fastened, as by fas# tening means I4. Preferably, the outer ends of the rear portion of the member III are round-v edoif, as at I5. The inner edge portion of the back side of the guard is provided with a tapered cut out portion I6 which has a reinforcing strip Il disposed thereacross and fastened as by. rivets or other fastening devices I8. This reinforcing strip I'I will prevent splitting of the guard at the upper portion of the same on the back side thereof.

The rear or back side of the guard I!! is provided with a plurality of vent openings I9 so as to permit air to freely circulate longitudinally through the device and to permit the circulation of air through the back of the device. A

Wrist band or cuif member, generally designated as 20, is secured as by stitching 2I to the upper reduced end portion of the guard I D and this Wrist band 20 has an eye or loop 22 secured to one free end thereof. The loop 22 has a strip 23 disposed therethrough which is fastened to one end of the band 20 as by rivets or other fastening devices 24.`

Normally the loop or eye 22 will be disposed at substantially right angles to the band 20 and this loop 22 will be disposed on the back side of the device so that the protecting loop 22 will not cause inconvenience to the wearer of the device. The other end of the band 20 is free and provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart loop receiving openings 25 through a selected one of which the loop 22 is adapted to be disposed so as to hold the guard I0 upon the hand of the patient.

The inside of the guard I0 may be provided with a lining 26 of suitable construction so that the relatively stiff leather of which the device is formed will not irritate the skin of the patient. This lining 26' may be of any suitable material, such'as fabric, chamois skin, or the like. The front or palm side 26 of the restraining device is provided with a plurality of stiffening members 2l which are secured longitudinally of the palm or front side 2B as by straps 28 which may be sewed or otherwise fastened to the palm 26. These stiening members 21 may be constructed of any suitable material which will preventl longitudinal bending of the palm 26 so that when the device is in applied position, the patient will not be permitted to double up his hand in the form of a list and will not be able to scratch himself or others. In the use and operation of the device, the hand of the patient is slipped into the upper end of the guard IU with the wrist band 20 open.

The palm of the hand will be disposed in confronting position to the palm 26 of the device and preferably the device is formedrin elliptical configuration, as shown in Figure 3, so that the patient will not be permitted to double up his hand within the device. The wrist band 20 is secured about the wrist of the patient by passingY the loop 22 through a selected opening 25 and then securing the loop 22, as by a fastening means 29, to a xed member which may be either'fthe frame of a bed or other member. By providing will not unduly perspire Within the deviceas air may freely enter the open forward end and circulated through the air openings I9. and also through the V-shaped opening 26, in the Vcuff or wrist portion of the device.

This device may be made in such a manner as to so engage about the hand of ,the wearer that the hand may have relative movement .Within the device but at the same time the wearer will not be permitted to double up his fingers and when the loop 22 is secured to a fixed member, the entire hands and arms of the wearer will be restrained so that the patient cannot do injury to himself or to others. `If, desired, the attaching member 29 may be secured to or formed as part of a belt or straight jacketso that the person Y .A It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claim.

I claim:-

A hand restraining device as set forth ccmprising a member open at each end and constructed of a single sheet, being shaped in substantially elliptical form with the free edges overlapping each other, means for securing the overlapping edges together, a tapered upper portion carried by the member provided with an opening on the back side to freely admit air into the upper end of the member, a substantially straight wrist band secured to the upper end of the tapered portion provided with free ends and a ring carried by one end of the wrist band and extending angularly therefrom, the other end of the band being provided with a plurality of spaced apart ring receiving openings.

ELMER F. COX. 

